Part 5/8:
On the jelly front, it was during World War I that grape jelly transitioned into a more commercially recognized product. The Welch Grape Juice Company introduced “Grapelade,” a hybrid of jam and jelly, capitalizing on the era’s spirit of rationing and availability. This grape-based spread soon made a splash among returning soldiers, who combined it with peanut butter in makeshift meals.
The Transformation of PB&J
Despite the initial lack of interest in the combo of peanut butter and jelly, the 1928 introduction of the machine that sliced bread drastically changed the landscape. Sliced bread made it easier for consumers to prepare sandwiches, leading to a rapid rise in peanut butter and jelly's popularity.